I Dare You To Do The Opposite

“I just need to remember to take the time to take a deep breath every once in a while” said one of my executive coaching clients. “There is just no time for breathing in Corporate America.”

Ironic as that statement is, we can all relate.

We are plugged in and communicating with each other like never before. Email, texting, social media, chatting, apps … the list goes on. Our days are filled with balancing meetings, webinars, conferences, workshops, projects and reports. On top of that we have clients, bosses, colleagues, team members, managers and executive boards to deal with. In the meantime we need to make sure we are improving our focus and performance … oh, and don’t forget to maintain your life-work balance.

I recently came across a commencement address by Maria Shriver. In it she said,

“Pausing allows you to take a beat — to take a breath in your life. As everybody else is rushing around like a lunatic out there, I dare you to do the opposite.”

We have so much to do. Oftentimes we get swept up into moving from one blocked task, meeting or function to the next and before we know it the day has ended. Reflecting back on our day how often did we take a moment to pause, take a deep breath and re-center? Once? Twice? Never?

Who has the time for that and why would you?

Because pausing, taking a deep breath and reflecting / re-centering are the most powerful tools we have to improve our performance. Not to mention our health, well-being, creativity, energy and vitality. We really don’t have the time to not take time.

Poet Doug King on the value of incubating, “Learn to Pause … or nothing worthwhile will catch up to you.”